1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to signalling systems for use at sea and more particularly relates to a system for signalling the unauthorized discharge of bilge water and other undesirable waste material from the bilge of ships wherein a mandatory dye injection system is carried on the ship, communicating with the bilge pumping system so that overboard discharge of bilge contents is monitored and a control device injects a dye tracer into the discharge flowline so that any contents of bilge will be color dye and magnetically identified in order to pinpoint the source of any unauthorized spills.
2. General Background
While the discharge of oil, bilge water, and/or other hazardous materials into the water is generally prohibited, many vessels discharge the ships bilge when on the open seas, often under the cover of darkness. This bilge discharge typically contains thick heavy oil material that forms tar like deposits upon beaches. Boats, and large ocean going vessels generate this waste material that collects in the bilge because of the presence typically of inboard engines. Thus, the bilges collect spoiled water, waste water, fuel oil, gasoline, lubricating oil and the like. Often-times, a bilge pump is operated to pump the mixture overboard, sometimes to a starting of the engine but typically when a vessel is far out to sea where it cannot be easily spotted.
Some patents have issued which are directed to the problem of bilge water discharged by vessels. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,513 issued to Pedone and entitled "Small Boat Oil Removal System For Bilge Water", there is provided an indicator which will change color when in contact with oil to provide a visual indication on the vessel when a filter needs changing. The filter is placed in a discharge line inboard of the vessel, out of view. The water and oil that is normally collected in the bilge of the boat is pumped overboard by a bilge pump with the oil being removed from the bilge water using the filter, the filter having layers of different sized expanded resin particles that are hydrophobic and oleophilic. When operation of the bilge pump ceases, a valve will release the back pressure that would otherwise be caused by the filter, to facilitate start up of the pump. Various patents relate to the problem of automatically discharging a dye material into the water for the purpose of marking a craft such as an airplane or military torpedo. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,049,091 entitled "Release And Injection Mechanism For Automatic Dye Marker System" and U.S. Pat. No. 4,376,421 entitled "Downed Aircraft Position Indicator" both describe dye marker constructions wherein an apparatus is provided for visually indicating the position of a downed aircraft to rescue personnel. In the Carroll U.S. Pat. No. 3,049,091, a crash market device is provided for marking the area in which an aircraft has submerged itself in a body of water. An injection mechanism having a releasable buoy unit is automatically ejected from the craft upon submerging which buoy may contain a quantity of dye for coloring the water surface.
In the Skinner U.S. Pat. No. 4,376,421 entitled "Down Aircraft Position Indicator", there is provided an apparatus for visually indicating the position of a downed aircraft to rescue personnel wherein a bright yellow or lime like color is stored in a pressurized tank during flight and means are provided whereby the substance is expelled from the aircraft responsive to separation of the craft's wings from the craft's fuselage, or to operator initiated control signals, are responsive to signals from a turning device.
Other patents which relate generally to water marking devices that use dyes can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 2,675,776 entitled "Sea Marker"; U.S. Pat. No. 2,716,961 entitled "Water Marking Device"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,768,436 entitled "Dye Release Apparatus".
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,704,043 there is provided a pick-up device for catapulted planes. The apparatus includes a water sled device for recovering objects from a body of water such as a catapulted plane. The sled device includes a pair of openended discharge pipes extending upwardly and respectively from each side of the sled device. A water intake funnel extending from the bottom portion of the sled device with its open end facing in a direction forwardly of the sled, a mixing valve having input and output passageways, a source of compressed air, respective fluid conduit means connecting the source of compressed air and the water intake funnel to the input passageway of the mixing valve where the compressed air and water are mixed, and fluid conduits connecting the output passageway of the mixing valve to the water discharge pipe whereby a vertical column of water is extruded from the discharge pipe locating the width and the location of the sled device. The discharge pipes can be equipped with dyeing chambers, located in the discharge pipes in order to color the water as the water is passed through the respective dyeing chambers and discharge pipes. The dye chamber contains a dye material in crystalline or powdered form which can be dissolved or mixed with the water passing through the chamber.